Bailey's 'B-team' beat up Sri Lanka at MCG

Date: January 11 2013

Greg Buckle

They may be Australia's "B Team" but George Bailey's men made a mockery of that moniker with a 107-run one-day win over Sri Lanka at the MCG on Friday.

Man of the match Phil Hughes (112) became the first Australian to score a century on ODI debut as Australia clobbered 5-305 before Clint McKay (4-33) helped bowl the Sri Lankans out for 198 with 10 overs to spare.

Mitchell Starc removed Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga for one and McKay struck a key blow when skipper Mahela Jayawardene was caught at slip for five.

Sri Lanka recovered to reach 2-111 at the 25-over mark but Tillakaratne Dilshan (51) was run out next ball by a direct hit from Usman Khawaja.

In a remarkable double-play of suicidal Sri Lankan running between wickets, cover fieldsman Glenn Maxwell ran out Angelo Mathews (12) and Lahiru Thirimanne (0) in consecutive deliveries in the 30th over as Sri Lanka slumped to 5-128.

Mitchell Johnson (2-43) dismissed Jeevan Mendis (20) caught at mid-off and 35-year-old wicketkeeper Brad Haddin pulled off a diving catch to remove the danger man Dinesh Chandimal for 73 in the following over from McKay.

Johnson also removed Thisara Perera (four) and McKay claimed the last two wickets in successive deliveries.

David Hussey made a good fist of trying to slot into the finishing role made famous by his brother Mike with an innings of 60 not out from 34 deliveries.

Australia rested skipper Michael Clarke, opener David Warner and injured vice-captain Shane Watson while veteran Mike Hussey has been dumped after announcing this will be his final international season.

It was the first time since 1986 Australia have fielded a one-day side with at least three debutants, prompting criticism that it was a "B team".

"To get three figures on debut is a great feeling and one I'll never forget," an elated Hughes, 24, told the Nine Network.

The second match in the five-game series is on Sunday in Adelaide.

"It was a really great team effort to stand up on the back of some criticism from outsiders and from some people who weren't sure if we were up to it," Bailey said.

"Hopefully we've put those doubts to bed and the next challenge is to do it consistently and go two-nil up."

Hughes said he was flattered to be the first Aussie to score a century on his ODI debut.

Asked how he felt about going to the batting-friendly Adelaide Oval, Hughes grinned: "My confidence is quite high."

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene slammed his bowlers' efforts.

"At times we lost the plot. We didn't build pressure enough, a lot of four balls from a couple of our bowlers," he said.

The skipper said wicketkeeper-batsman Chandimal had suffered a hamstring injury and his fitness would be assessed on Saturday.